Art Blakey. Tom Copi/Courtesy of the artist. hide caption

Art Blakey
The band led by drummer Art Blakey (center) groomed more than 150 alumni members, including saxophonist Wayne Shorter and trumpeter Lee Morgan. Robert Abbott Sengstacke/Getty Images hide caption
Gary Bartz performs at the 1973 Montreux Jazz Festival. The saxophonist is often cited as a messenger of black empowerment in music. David Redfern/Redferns hide caption
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. sees off a group of Freedom Riders as they board a bus for Jackson, Miss., on May 24, 1961. Paul Schutzer/Life hide caption
With many young talents under his tutelage, Art Blakey has often been called the father of hard bop. David Referns/Redferns hide caption
Art Blakey counts Lee Morgan, Wayne Shorter, Freddie Hubbard and Terence Blanchard among his Jazz Messengers alumni. And that's the short list. Roland Godefroy hide caption